What can be attacking this reader's hostas?

Large, irregular holes in hosta leaves are usually the result of slugs or snails.

Large, irregular holes in hosta leaves are usually the result of slugs or snails. (MORNING CALL FILE PHOTO)

Q: Can you please tell me why my hostas look so sickly? The leaves get brown and rotted looking and there are some with holes in them.

—Maureen Reinert

A: With our current wet and sticky weather, the prime suspects are slugs/snails. They love hostas and are generally not seen as they feed at night. To confirm slugs/snails, do a nighttime recognizance mission and check for slugs or slime trails with a flashlight. You can also check very early in the morning, if you are an early riser. For the rest of us, place a leftover cantaloupe rind or a few lettuce leaves left near the hostas in the evening. Place the cantaloupe skin side up. Either should draw the slugs/snails by morning. Upturn the rind or leaves and you should find the culprits.

You can cut back the damaged leaves; avoid excessive watering; water the ground not the leaves, water early in the day so the leaves dry out; thin the hostas so there is better air circulation or plant slug/snail resistant plants.

What draws slugs/snails? Boards or other debris on the ground, weedy areas, leafy branches close to the ground, and dense ground cover such as ivy.

We are lucky in that we have a great slug limiting cycle in place. The toads eat the slugs, the snakes eat the toads and, occasionally, the birds eat the snakes. Some birds also eat slugs and we have plenty of those as well. A varied and stable IPM (Integrated Pest Management) system starting with the least harmful ecological system is ideal. Other predators include ground beetles, shrews and centipedes, as well as chicken and other fowl. There are several other remedies for those who aren't blessed with natural predators.

Slug remedies

Copper strips: Place along the edges of the bed or pot to deter slugs from crossing the line. The slugs get an electric shock as the mucous underside reacts with the copper. This can be expensive in the garden but it works well on window boxes and pots. This is a once and done project each season. Clean tarnished copper with vinegar each season to maintain its effectiveness.

Diatomaceous earth: Tiny, sharp fossilized diatoms that make crossing the line painful if you are a slug or snail. Use only earth sold for the garden, not for the pool and avoid breathing in the dust (use a mask when applying). Diatomaceous earth should be reapplied after each rain.

Beer traps: Shallow containers buried in the ground so that the top is level with the soil and filled to an inch below the top with beer. The slugs love the fermented yeast, enter the container and drown. Traps should be checked daily, emptied and re-baited.

Sluggo: This is an organic product with iron phosphate as the active ingredient. This is a much safer than other remedies that contain metaldehydrate. Metaldehydrate is poisonous to children, cats and dogs. You must reapply Sluggo or other iron phosphate treatments once a week—every two weeks if the weather is dry.

Handpicking: In the early evening or morning, go out with a flashlight and catch the culprits in the act. Pick them off your plants and destroy them — squash, drop in soapy water, etc. Do not use salt — it is bad for the garden and may damage your plants.

No single solution is 100 percent effective. The best solution would be one that uses several methods. Trapping with bait, handpicking and applying diatomaceous earth for example. Consistency is the key, check and treat often for optimum control.

July tasks

The most important tasks for this month are daily harvesting, weed control and watering (during dry periods). This is the time of year that I lose control of the garden. The hot, humid weather and frequent showers keep me out of the garden and allow the weeds to get the upper hand. If you can't get to all the weeds, try to make sure that you pull or cut back any that are flowering or ready to go to seed. Allowing the seeds to disperse will just multiply your problems as some seeds survive for years, only to sprout when you think you've got things under control.

Another task that will improve the look of the garden is deadheading, removing the spent flowers from your plants. It not only tidies up the appearance but in many cases, encourages the plants to continue producing blooms.

•Don't prune anything that can't be reached from the ground. Hire a certified and insured tree pruner for high pruning or heavy branches or for any work around power lines.

•Check for ticks after every outing. Use an insect repellent containing Deet on the skin. Apply a repellent with permethrin to clothing. Wear light-colored clothing, long sleeves, hats and long pants when working in grassy areas or under overhanging branches.

•Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water or other noncaffeinated or nonalcoholic beverages.

•Apply sunscreen, wear hats and limit exposure to sun.

•Wear gloves to protect hands; use eye protection when cutting or chopping; and use appropriate ear protection when using any loud power tools.